Nursing, A.S. Admission Requirements

The Associate of Science (A.S.) in Nursing degree prepares the practical nurse (LPN) to become a professional nurse (RN). Students with the goal to become an RN need to complete or be in progress, with a practical nursing program before applying to the A.S. nursing program.

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Admission Requirements

For Minnesota West Practical Nursing students applying to progress to A.S. Nursing Program:

Completion of required prerequisite courses.
Licensed as an LPN by July 15.
Cumulative prerequisite GPA of 3.0 in BIOL 2201 (Anatomy), BIOL 2202 (Physiology), ENGL 1101 (Composition I), and PSYC 1150 (Lifespan Developmental Psychology).
No grade lower than a C is accepted in any course required for the A.S. nursing program (including prerequisites).
Three general courses required for the nursing programs have a time limit of 5 years (Anatomy, Physiology, and Developmental Psychology). Review the currency of courses with a nursing advisor.
Complete the Declaration of Intent form.

For licensed LPN’s applying to enter the A.S. Nursing Program:

Licensed as an LPN by July 15.
Cumulative prerequisite GPA of 3.0 in BIOL 2201 (Anatomy), BIOL 2202 (Physiology), ENGL 1101 (Composition I), and PSYC 1150 (Developmental Psychology).
No grade lower than a C is accepted in any course required for the A.S. nursing program (including prerequisites).
Three general courses required for the nursing programs have a time limit of 5 years (Anatomy, Physiology, and Developmental Psychology). Review the currency of courses with a nursing advisor.

Additional Instructions

Application due by February 15. The following application steps must be completed and submitted.

Submit a FREE Online Application for general admission to Minnesota West. Submit Official high school and college transcripts to the Admissions Department (admissions@mnwest.edu).
Complete the Online A.S. Nursing Program Application (This form cannot be submitted using a mobile device.)
A.S. applicants must complete the NLN NACE Foundations of Nursing v1.2 exam. You will take the NLN NACE Foundations of Nursing v1.2 exam from home via an online remote proctor.
Email jodi.christensen@mnwest.edu for directions. Register and make a payment of $86.00 to NLN. The test is limited to three attempts in an application period (June 15 through February 15). If you retest, you must wait one month before retesting. February 15, 2025, is the last day to test. Official transcript results must be sent to Minnesota West Community & Technical College.
Please carefully read through our Associate Degree Nursing (RN) Application Packet, which includes a checklist and additional important information.

Acceptance & Selection Process to the Nursing Program

Admission to the Nursing Program is competitive. Applicants who have met the minimum admission requirements by February 15 will be reviewed for fall admission to the program.

Admission to the nursing program is determined by a screening committee and based on the following criteria:

Nursing test scores (ATI TEAS test for Practical Nursing Program and NLN test for Associate Degree Nursing Program).
College GPA.
Coursework related to the degree requirements for the nursing program. Minnesota West will evaluate the college transcripts and post-transfer credits to your Minnesota West transcript in accordance with Minnesota State Policy 3.21. You are encouraged to complete non-nursing courses prior to beginning nursing courses.

Applicants who do not meet the minimum admission requirements or fail to complete the nursing program admission process by the February 15 deadline will be denied admission to the nursing program. Minnesota West will notify all applicants in writing of their admission status in the nursing program within six weeks of the application deadline.

Please do not call to check on your admission status before April 1.

Requirements after Acceptance

Completion of all prerequisite coursework and courses within the nursing program with a grade of C or higher. C minus (-) grades are not accepted.
Current personal health insurance is required. Students are responsible for incurred medical costs during the nursing program.
CastleBranch database registration is required for all nursing students. Students are required to upload clinical documents to CastleBranch by July 15 where your health record will be stored while you are in the nursing program. Students are responsible for registering and paying the CastleBranch fee. Documents that must be uploaded to the CastleBranch database include:
- Minnesota West Nursing Health History and Physical form.
- Written documentation from a health care provider, Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC), or agency of immunizations/vaccinations/tests which include the following:
  - Hepatitis B series – documentation of three (3) vaccinations or evidence of a positive Hepatitis B titer.
  - MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella) – documentation of two vaccinations or documentation of a positive MMR titer.
  - Tdap ( Tetanus, Diptheria and acellular Pertusis) – within the last ten (10) years.
  - Varicella (Chicken Pox) – two vaccinations or documentation of a positive varicella titer.
  - 2 step - Tuberculosis Skin Test, Quantiferon blood test, or evidence of recent chest X-ray (within one year).
  - A COVID vaccine (or declination to the vaccine) is required at clinical experience locations. COVID documentation must include the vaccine manufacturer and lot number.
  - Influenza - documentation must be administered during the current flu season (August - March) and must be submitted on the school form, available for download.
  - Note: Records with any personal medical information are considered confidential documents and are secured in the student CastleBranch database.
Current CPR Certification :
- American Heart Association (AHA) or American Red Cross (ARC) Basic Life Support for the Healthcare Provider
- Certification must include a ‘hands-on’ demonstration of CPR skills for all age groups and include AED training.
- Online CPR renewals will not be accepted.
Background Checks: Nursing students are required to complete two (2) background checks at the beginning of the nursing program. Clinical facilities may also require their own background check – in addition to the following background checks:
- MN Department of Human Services (DHS) background check pursuant to MN Statute 245C requires that students who have contact with individuals in licensed healthcare institutions complete an annual background study with the MN Department of Health and Human Services.
- Criminal Background Check: students will complete a criminal federal background check through CastleBranch database, in addition to the MN Department of Human Services background check.
- If discrepancies occur on background checks, the student will be contacted by the nursing program director. Disqualifying offenses can be found here. Criminal background discrepancies may be reviewed by clinical facilities. Clinical facilities have the final decision on if students with a discrepancy may attend clinical experiences at their location.
Students are responsible for cost of nursing clinical experiences, health examinations, health insurance, malpractice insurance, CPR certification, healthcare vaccines, CastleBranch registration fee, background checks, etc.
ATI examinations are required periodically in the program as well as a national standardized, end-of-program ATI exam near the completion of your final semester to assist in preparation for the licensure exam after graduation. The cost of this preparation tool and examinations by ATI are included in your tuition.
ATI review course: Students must complete either an on-campus ATI review course after graduation and prior to receiving authorization to test for the NCLEX exam.

Alignment with Other States’ Educational Requirements

Learn more about our Alignment with Other States’ Registered Nursing Educational Requirements

Nursing Orientation

The Nursing program has mandatory in-person orientation that takes place both in the Spring and Fall prior to the semester start.

Program Outcomes

The Professional (Associate Degree of Science in Nursing) Program began in 1996 and the first graduates completed in 1997.

Job placement by 2021 graduates in the AS Nursing Program was 94.4%.

Student Satisfaction: Graduates of the program in 2022 reported 86% overall satisfaction with their education and the AS Nursing Program.

National licensure examination pass rate (NCLEX) for the AS Nursing Program students from 2022 was 85.19%, above the state and national averages for NCLEX-RN first time test takers.

Program Completion (students start and complete the degree program in 1 year) for the AS Nursing Program in 2022 was 19.6%. The completion rate of students that complete in 1 or 2 years (additional time in program) is 26.1%. In 2022-2023 (as of 1/2023), 76.9% of students are progressing to completion from the AS Nursing Program.

Small class sizes are important for student success. The program instructor to student ratio for 2022-2023 is 1:12 and was 1:14 in 2021-2022. Clinical courses are 1:8.

The AS Nursing Program holds accreditation from the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).

Student Learning Outcomes

NLN and QSEN Student Learning Outcomes – Associate Degree in Nursing Program

	NLN	QSEN
1. NLN Human Flourishing NLN Graduate will advocate for patients and families in ways that promote their self-determination, integrity, and ongoing growth as human beings. QSEN 1A. QSEN: Patient Centered Care Graduate will recognize the patient or designee as the source of control and full partner in providing compassionate and coordinated care based on respect for patient's preferences, values, and needs.
2. NLN Nursing Judgment NLN Graduate will make judgments in practice, substantiated with evidence, that integrate nursing science in the provision of safe, quality care and that promote the health of patients within a family and community context. QSEN 2A. QSEN: Safety Graduate will minimize risk of harm to patients and providers through both system effectiveness and individual performance. 2B. QSEN: Informatics Graduate will use information and technology to communicate, manage knowledge, mitigate error, and support decision making.
3. NLN Professional Identity NLN Graduate will implement one's role as a nurse in ways that reflect integrity, responsibility, ethical practices, and an evolving identity as a nurse committed to evidence-based practice, caring, advocacy, and safe, quality care for diverse patients within a family and community context. QSEN 3A. QSEN: Teamwork and Collaboration Graduate will function effectively within nursing and inter-professional teams, fostering open communication, mutual respect, and shared decisionmaking to achieve quality patient care.
4. NLN Spirit of Inquiry NLN Graduate will examine the evidence that underlies clinical nursing practice to challenge the status quo, question underlying assumptions, and offer new insights to improve the quality of care for patients, families, and communities. QSEN 4A. QSEN: Quality Improvement Graduate will use data to monitor the outcomes of care processes and use improvement methods to design and test changes to continuously improve the quality and safety of health care systems. 4B. QSEN: Evidence Based Practice Graduate will integrate best current evidence with clinical expertise and patient/family preferences and values for delivery of optimal health care.
1. NLN Human Flourishing	Graduate will advocate for patients and families in ways that promote their self-determination, integrity, and ongoing growth as human beings.	1A. QSEN: Patient Centered Care Graduate will recognize the patient or designee as the source of control and full partner in providing compassionate and coordinated care based on respect for patient's preferences, values, and needs.
2. NLN Nursing Judgment	Graduate will make judgments in practice, substantiated with evidence, that integrate nursing science in the provision of safe, quality care and that promote the health of patients within a family and community context.	2A. QSEN: Safety Graduate will minimize risk of harm to patients and providers through both system effectiveness and individual performance. 2B. QSEN: Informatics Graduate will use information and technology to communicate, manage knowledge, mitigate error, and support decision making.
3. NLN Professional Identity	Graduate will implement one's role as a nurse in ways that reflect integrity, responsibility, ethical practices, and an evolving identity as a nurse committed to evidence-based practice, caring, advocacy, and safe, quality care for diverse patients within a family and community context.	3A. QSEN: Teamwork and Collaboration Graduate will function effectively within nursing and inter-professional teams, fostering open communication, mutual respect, and shared decisionmaking to achieve quality patient care.
4. NLN Spirit of Inquiry	Graduate will examine the evidence that underlies clinical nursing practice to challenge the status quo, question underlying assumptions, and offer new insights to improve the quality of care for patients, families, and communities.	4A. QSEN: Quality Improvement Graduate will use data to monitor the outcomes of care processes and use improvement methods to design and test changes to continuously improve the quality and safety of health care systems. 4B. QSEN: Evidence Based Practice Graduate will integrate best current evidence with clinical expertise and patient/family preferences and values for delivery of optimal health care.

Mission & Philosophy

Mission

The Minnesota West Associate of Science (A S.) program is dedicated to providing nursing education using a variety of affordable, accessible, delivery methods to a diverse population with the goal of preparing graduates who practice safe, entry-level professional nursing.

Philosophy

Nursing draws on a broad and integrated knowledge base. It is a unique discipline in and of its own and is both an art and a science.

We believe the essence of nursing and nursing education involves therapeutic relationships, priority setting, critical thinking, and the valuing of individuals with unique needs. Physical, emotional, psychological, spiritual, social and cultural dimensions of individuals and communities create a whole that is greater than its parts.
We place a high value on caring and respect for human beings, and on interpersonal relationships in nursing – the interaction between nurse and client, between student and faculty, and among members of the health care team.
We enthusiastically support health promotion and the empowerment of individuals and families across the lifespan to meet their own health needs.
We believe faculty are responsible for designing, directing, and guiding the learning of students. Faculty role-model process skills include ethical decision-making, critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, creativity, and self-care. Faculty advocates mutual understanding and respect between scopes of practice and commit themselves to prepare safe, competent practitioners who value a life of learning.
We believe students are responsible for their learning and must be actively engaged in it.

The system of Minnesota State Colleges provides the following example of performance standards, based on the Minnesota Nurse Practice Act, that associate degree nursing students are required to meet and maintain to provide safe and effective care, to be successful and progress in nursing programs.The examples listed are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to be a complete list of all tasks in a nursing program. Students with documented disabilities, or who believe they may have a protected disability, can request accommodation, which may assist with meeting the standards for nursing programs.

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Critical-thinking Skills

Standards

Critical thinking ability for effective clinical reasoning and clinical judgment consistent with level of educational preparation